The Last Dance
by angietheunicorn
Summary: Lily has finally changed her mind about James, and it is the last dance of the Hogwarts year, but he isn't there.


This story has been officially disclaimed. I am not J.K Rowling, I am not richer than all of England, I do not write about a boy named Harry potter. I am me. And the song is 'you and me' by life house. Do not sue the under panties off of me.

**Holds up a Harry potter book** _**The power of J.K Rowling compels you!!**_

Random. I don't own anything except the terrible plot, if there is one

After all these years….

Green eyes scanned the dance floor. Emerald green, to be specific. Red hair, three hours worth of a charmed muggle artifact, curled in delicate spirals. Two slender flaming spirals, accenting her cream colored skin, complimented her shining green eyes.

Two delicate fingers reached up, and absently started to twirl a curl around her index finger. The light from the illuminating torch softened the gentle curve of her velvet soft cheek. Her make up enhanced her natural beauty. A gem cutter with the precision that also cut diamonds cut her lips. Her dress had long, thin sleeves that flattered her graceful arms, coming to a point on the top part of her hand; a thin green thread ringed her middle finger, keeping the sleeve in place. The dress had a neckline that was modest, slimming around her waist until it came to her hips, flaring gently into a skirt that clung to her, and then flared again when it was about knee height. It was made of emerald cloth, with a white bodice. The skirt had a split in the emerald green color as the underskirt was while, just like the bodice. The color matched her emerald green eyes.

In those eyes there was a fiery passion. At certain times, certain emotions could be seen in them. Compassion, happiness, laughter, sadness, knowledge, nervousness, all of these and more, could be found in her eyes. Her eyes could be as hard as emeralds when she was angry. Her eyes often had their hard sheen when she spoke to that raven-haired boy with the dancing hazel eyes.

But tonight, there was something else in them. There wasn't any hardness, only nervousness. This was their last dance. Her last chance. Her eyes held something else. Change. A second chance.

He still wasn't here. Lily could see that. She had changed for him. The people scattered at the fringes of the room chattered softly, but what they were saying, she didn't hear. She was alone, in the middle of the dance floor, a light from a torch hovering gently in the air above her. She stood in the very middle, eyes locked on the door that led into the great hall. The torches along the walls left some corners in shadows, the others we lit up. The cold stone floor was scrubbed and swept the night before, and whenever someone walked, a sound like horse hooves emerged. Behind her was the platform, where a live singer was singing a slow song about the last time he had a girlfriend. She stood there, just staring, her emerald eyes focused completely on the tall, strong door.

No one was dancing, although the ball itself was almost over. She waited for them to come in, for those great, strong oak doors to swing open, revealing James. The song ended, and there was the sound of scraping, moving boxes and setting up extra enchanted mikes.

She heard dimly people setting up on stage for the last slow dance, but she was distracted, the doors had begun to swing open. Slowly, the great wooden doors that had protected the great hall for so long opened, to reveal a couple.

A boy and a girl entered. Nope it couldn't be James and someone else. The girl had long black hair and the man had short boyishly blonde hair. She sighed, letting the breath escape her. The torchlight glinted off of her dress, like the spark of hope she had kept with her until she had seen them. Why was she even waiting again? They weren't at the dance, and the last slow song of the night was about to start, so why hope?

She heard the mellow tone of a few notes being strummed gently on a guitar. She heard the deep notes of a drum added to the constant strum of a guitar.

She tore her eyes away from the door, planting them onto the ground, giving up the tiny seed of hope that had so suddenly wisped into her mind every time her mind rested on the idea that this was her last dance before she left for the real world. This was the last time she would see James. The last chance that she would be able to say sorry, to give him a chance, to acknowledge for herself that he was the reason she was semi happy. He had graced her dreams; he had changed, for her. For so long, he had asked her to give him a chance, and now, when she wanted to, he wasn't there.

She could feel her emerald eyes start to tear up, and she gently closed her eyes for a breath, hoping that he would come in, that he would smile, and ask her to dance.

A tear rolled from her watery eyes, glinting with torchlight, traveling down her cheek and, leaving her cheek, fell through open air, splashing onto her emerald green skirt. The next tear hit the same spot, and then rolled away, hitting the cold floor. She wiped her eyes, for the first time, she was too late for something. There was no second chance. He didn't love her, or he would be here.

_What day is it? And in what month?  
This clock never seemed so alive  
I can't keep up and I can't back down  
I've been losing so much time_

She slowly turned, hearing everyone gasp collectively. Her dress sparkled dimly. She stood there, a Cinderella on the dance floor, while the lead singer sang. While James sang.

She met his eyes, and the warm hazel depths captured her own. She could feel the little tiny seedling of hope grow within her, blooming and sprouting and sending out new shoots, until she felt that she was glowing with it.

He held the magic mike, singing into it, his hair falling into his face, but he never looked away. He closed his eyes slowly, singing the next part carefully, so she could hear it and she wouldn't mistake it for something else.

_Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to lose  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

She wiped her eyes, and then looked up to see his again. He put his hand on mike again, the other extending to her, beckoning to her. She looked around, and then walked over to the platform. She took his hand, feeling the sparks start to fly. His hands were rough, but gentle. He gently lifted her up, and then hugged her close.

He walked away from the mike a little, going to a clear space on the sage, leading her. Sirius walked up to the mike, taking his friend's spot, strumming the guitar absently to the music, his voice almost matched James's in pitch.

_All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right  
I'm tripping on words  
You've got my head spinning  
I don't know where to go from here_

"James, listen, I'm-" Lily tried to say. She was cut off, as James said,

"Shhh, I know, would you like to dance with me?" he asked her, his voice causing a thrill to run down her spin. Her dressed whispered in anticipation. The torches around them were far away, leaving them in a shadow. Any light that fell on the two became softened, and any light that fell on James's hair was buried in those ink black depths.

She nodded, and he put one hand on the small of her back, the other took hers and extended away from them. Her hand in his was so small, and was so soft.

She laughed, tickled as she looked up into his eyes. He was nervous, he was trying to give her space.

She smiled, and then took her hand out of his, and placed on his shoulder, the other was in his hand, not extended as far out as her other hand had been. He still kept one of his hands on the small of her back. She leaned in, feeling something she had never felt before. Something deep inside her heart started to beat and throbbed gently. It took her breath away when she realized that she had never felt this way before.

She had never felt this before. The feeling was extensively complex in its wonderfulness, but surprising simple in its entirety. She tried to place it. She had seen glimpses of this feeling before, but they had been gone to soon, leaving her no proof that they had ever happened at all.

She felt that if James were to let go of her, and dance with someone else, she felt like she would cry. She felt like he was the only one she ever wanted to dance with, that if he told her to go jump off a cliff, she would trust him, and go do it.

She wanted to wake up with him, hug him when he was sad, and cry when he cried. She wanted to be there to give him comfort, to keep him safe. She realized that if someone shot a curse at him, she would take it, as long as he was safe, and she knew by looking into his eyes, that he would do the same.

That he would jump off a cliff for her, that she was the only woman he would ever kiss and be with.

She gently looked up into his eyes, seeing the same feeling in his eyes. She looked back down again, looking at her hand. They kept dancing, although she was trying to figure out what was going on with her. What was this feeling that she was experiencing, the feeling that left her breathless?

She looked up again, seeing the knowing look in his eyes. She knew that he knew the answer to her question. He leaned down and whispered inquiringly,

"Love?"

She looked up, meeting his hazel ones. Her eyes went wide, and a smile graced her features. She smiled, and then nodded, feeling for the first time a question that she had sworn would never grace her lips.

"Why didn't we get together sooner?" she whispered to him. He smiled, and then held her closer. She leaned her head on him, swaying gently to the music. His robes felt so soft. They were velvet.

_Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to prove  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

They stood there, and Lily felt him release her hands. She looked up with worry in her eyes, but he then wrapped both arms around her. She rested her head on his chest again, hearing his heartbeat. They gently swayed in a circle; her skirt whispering as the torch light gently caressed the couple. He stopped to help her off the stage, and onto the dance floor.

Then they continued what they were doing before. The torchlight glinted off of her flaming locks. Her hairstyle had fallen out from its graceful bun, leaving a fiery river of molten copper and two delicate spirals that accented her face. Her cheeks were a little red from the tears she had shed, but James didn't care. Her dress whispered as they swayed together, as if telling her that her feeling was right.

Everyone watched as they danced, alone on the dance floor. Girls were in awe, and even the heartstrings of guys were plucked. It prompted guys to look at their dance partners, and to join the lone couple, gently dancing to the same tune that James and Lily were dancing to.

_There's something about you now  
I can't quite figure out  
Everything she does is beautiful  
Everything she does is right_

James drew away again, and then took her hands, and they moved at a faster pace. But it wasn't too fast. He dipped her, and she felt secure, knowing he wouldn't drop her. His eyes were filled with feeling for her.

"Have I told you that you look absolutely breath taking?" he asked when he had brought her out of the dip, and when they had continued the regular step.

"No, but I get the idea." She smiled as he twirled her gently under on of his hands, her dress flaring out gently as she was spinning back into his arms again.

_Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to lose  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you  
and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to prove  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

he gently smiled and her twirled her one more time, and then dipped her again. Her dress flared and swayed gently, whispering as it swept gracefully across the floor, complementing his deep, velvet green dress robes. His pants were black and brought out the white trim of her shirt. They danced, just staring into each other's eyes, feeling and wishing that this moment would continue forever, both knowing that even if it didn't, they would always remember it.

She put her head gently on his chest, hearing his heartbeat strongly in his chest. He smelled so nice. Mint with a fresh grass smell and a little hint of cinnamon. He reminded her of the earth right after a rainstorm. She felt him wrap his arms around her, and put his head on hers. They stood there, taking little steps in a circle while swaying gently.

Her ears detected the song slowing down, and the lines going through her head.

_What day is it?  
And in what month?  
This clock never seemed so alive_

Her eyes were closed, but they opened as the final notes resounded gently in the air. James looked down, his eyes filled with something that prompted her to feel safe, protected, and even loved.

She looked up, and met his eyes, her emerald ones capturing his until they closed, and he leaned down, gently brushing his lips against her cheek. His warm breath drove a wave of thrills down her spine.

The song ended, and she opened her eyes, feeling the sudden jolt of her heart. His eyes were filled with love for her, waves upon waves of warmth rested in his hazel eyes. Soft and comforting. Did she know that he thought he was looking into the most beautiful eyes in the world?

" You have the most beautiful eyes in the world, no, scratch that, the universe." He whispered into her ear. She looked up contentedly, then said,

"No, that's impossible, because I'm looking into them right now." She whispered back.

He hugged her, realizing the song had ended. As he straightened, she gave him a kiss on his cheek.

His breath stopped for a millisecond, then he kissed her, his lips gently caressing hers. She had closed her eyes; feeling the fire inside her flare briefly, then dim down, realizing that he wasn't going anywhere.

After a while, they broke apart. He looked a bit sheepish, like he was expecting her to bite him. He closed his eyes as she got closer, and she kissed his nose. She grinned, and he stopped flinching.

He looked at Sirius, who was starting the song over. James bowed and asked her for another dance.

She nodded, her eyes drooping as she laid her head against his chest, her arms pressed between her and him. They swayed as the song continued, and then James stopped and smiled when he realized that she had fallen asleep. He gently lifted her up, giving Sirius a small nod as she left the Great Hall, Lily content and warm in his arms.

_Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to lose  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you  
and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to prove  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_


End file.
